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Brantford-Brant

EA planned for BSAR 'missing link'

A view looking southwest of the gateway to the Eagle Place area shows Veterans Memorial Parkway crossing the river from West Brant and ending at the Erie Avenue intersection (lower left). The city will study completing the parkway to the Wayne Gretzky Parkway. (Brian Thompson/Expositor file photo)

The much-debated Brantford Southern Access Road is expected to again become a major topic of discussion.

City officials are planning to embark on an environmental assessment in late 2018 or early 2019 that will include extensive public consultation on the BSAR, says Maria Visocchi, the city's director of communications and community engagement.

Specifically, the assessment will look at the need to widen the section of Veterans Memorial Parkway, from Mount Pleasant Street to Market Street, and the extension of the parkway from Market to Wayne Gretzky Parkway.

The assessment would update a similar study in 1991 and determine the potential impacts of the road projects.

Once finished, the assessment will be brought to city council for consideration. If approved, the city then would start purchasing property in 2020 to accommodate the BSAR extension with the design work expected to start in 2021, Visocchi said.

The next phase of the project would see construction from Market to the Gretzky parkway in 2022 and construction from Mount Pleasant to Market expected to start in 2024.

Visocchi said that the original 1991 alignment of the BSAR, which would encroach on the Glebe lands, property owned by Six Nations behind Pauline Johnson Collegiate, is still being considered for the BSAR extension. But other options are being examined, too, she said.

"We are also exploring 'ring road' options, as well as other potential alignments to avoid various anticipated challenges." said Visocchi.

"The feasibility study and environmental assessment will also serve to assess alternative roadway cross-sections and traffic control and access."

A ring road would enable motorists to bypass the city's downtown.

Meanwhile, $21 million has been set aside in the city's capital budget for the Market to Gretzky parkway work, while the Mount Pleasant to Market Street work is expected to cost just over $24.64 million.

However, the new studies are expected to provide updated cost estimates of the projects .

"Initial cost estimates are preliminary and will vary depending on the environmental/property issues, timing and staging of the construction," Visocchi said.

The Brantford Southern Access Road has long been a subject of heated debate as residents of West Brant continue to press for improved access to Highway 403 at the Gretzky parkway.

At issue is the so-called missing link - a section of the road that would fill in the gap between the Veterans Memorial Parkway, which ends at Clarence Street, and the Gretzky parkway.

The road's missing link was raised at two Ward 1 public meetings held last week. One meeting dealt with the city's master transportation plan, while the second meeting dealt with a proposed housing development.

"The BSAR and the missing link always get raised as an issue when a new development is being proposed in West Brant," Ward 1 Coun. Rick Weaver said. "West Brant has grown a great deal and many of the people living there work in Hamilton or Burlington and need better access of Highway 403."